Keeping Track of Your CME
- At least every three years, AANS Active and Active Provisional members are required to document receipt of the Continuing Education Award in Neurosurgery (requiring at least 60 hours of neurosurgical CME credit); and attend an annual meeting of the AANS.
- The current CME cycle is Jan. 1, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2004. During this period, specialty specific neurosurgical credit is offered to individuals who attend AANS-sponsored or jointly sponsored meetings, AANS/CNS section meetings, CNS annual meetings, or participate in the AANS Neurosurgical Topics Home Study Exam program.
- The AANS automatically tracks credit for all of these activities, except for the CNS annual meeting. However, CNS certificates of attendance can be forwarded to the AANS for inclusion in the CME tracking record, which the AANS maintains for all of its members.
- To assist members in meeting state licensure and local requirements, the AANS tracks Category 1 credits for the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award, or AMA PRA, for meetings and activities not mentioned above. To add these credits to your file, certificates of attendance must be forwarded to the AANS. These credits are not applicable toward the 60 neurosurgical credit hours required for maintaining membership.
- AANS Member Services Department annually mails personalized transcripts to Active and Active Provisional members for use in documenting their CME hours and to assist them in monitoring their progress towards reaching this 60 neurosurgical credit hour requirement for members.
Online CME Will Speed the Process
Online CME will debut on “My AANS” — the new members-only, secure area at https://www.aans.org — in early Spring 2003. This new feature will allow members to print out their CME transcripts and review their progress toward reaching the 60 neurosurgical credits required to receive the Continuing Education Award in Neurosurgery. Attendees of AANS annual meetings and meetings that are jointly sponsored by AANS also will be able to reprint copies of their certificates of credit. An at-a-glance listing of AANS jointly sponsored meetings will illustrate upcoming meeting opportunities, dates, locations, and specialty interests.